Fall To Pieces
by Shimegami-chan
Summary: Unfinished sequel to Us After This. A year after their defeat of the last WWW loyalists, life is as normal for our heroes. Lately though, Netto's been feeling strange, and acting stranger. Could Rockman's presence be causing this change?
1. Chapter 1

People occasionally ask for a sequel to _Us After This_, and after a disasterous sequel of another epic of mine, I was loathe to even consider the idea. Butit is one of those fics I can't bring myself to leave be...if I'm not rereading and editing it, I'm dreaming of things that might have happened after. Four EXE games have come out since the original story was written; four games that mess with the continuity of both this and that piece of fanfiction. :P (I guess I expected it, having set it so early in the series.) So does a sequel incorporate or disregard later games? The option that allows for the most creative output is clear...seeing how later games tend to disregard earlier games, like a certain character that seemed pretty important to the ending of the first game. Well, I do so love writing in the game canon, and now I've gone and written myself out of it. So may as well go for broke, now.

* * *

_Us After This,_ if you desire to read or reread it, can be found on my profile. I'd suggest hitting 'Edit' on your taskbar and then 'Find' rather than sifting through everything. If you'd rather just have a synopsis/refresher, here you go:

(Contains spoilers, obviously, for EXE 1 and _Us After This_)

_A story taking place in between EXE 1 and EXE 2. (Battle Network 1 and 2.) After Rockman is affected with a data-destroying virus, the DNA link between he and Netto causes Netto to be on the brink of death. In order to save his life, a heart monitor - a miniature computer filled with medical programs to keep the boy alive - is installed in Netto's chest, and through an accident, the rescued data of Rockman.EXE is deposited there for safekeeping. Through the monitor, Rockman has access to all of Netto's neurological functions, enabling them to "share" his body temporarily. Once his Navi form is re-created, Rockman returns permanently to it, but still retains the ability to plug-into the monitor when needed._

On with the show.

* * *

Fall To Pieces

_by Shimegami-chan_

Theme: Green Day - _Wake Me Up When September Ends_

-

-

"Please."

"No."

"_Pleeeeeease_."

"Absolutely not."

Rockman could only see part of his twin brother's anguished face, peeping at him from behind a huge blue pillow. "That's so cruel. I'll flunk without your help. Can't you do it one time?" Netto pouted, hiding his head behind the pillow once more. "What good is complete English fluency programming to me if I can't get you to use it? I just want a little help, just once."

Rockman sighed, not bothering to point out - again - that there was a difference between 'a little help' and 'Saito-niisan please take my English test for me'. "Nope. Nothing doing. I'll _help_ you, but I'm not taking it _for_ you."

"Help in the sense that you'll give me answers?" Netto looked hopeful.

"I'll help you _study._ Tonight. Now." He waved vaguely at the PET's sidebar menu, one of the icons of which was a shortcut to a very concise English dictionary. With a flick of the wrist he had opened it as well as a bright blue text window over his own head.

"Ah...well, I guess that's better than nothing," the brunette mumbled, lazily reaching for his textbook. He flipped it open to a random page and began to read aloud in broken speech: "Za quick browned fox jamp over za lazy dog. How boring. Why isn't any of this book about food?"

"Jumped," Rockman corrected, displaying the verb in the correct tense above his head, fully aware that Netto couldn't see it from that angle. "This would work better if you were sitting at your desk."

"Mmph." Netto literally fell off the bed with a thump and crawled to the chair, his mussed brown hair finally coming into Rockman's view. "Sure."

Rockman pointed at the word with a gloved finger. "The '-ed' means it happened in the past, right? You remember? And 'jump' has a _u_, not an _a._"

Netto yawned.

"Great."

-

_summer has come and passed_

_The innocent can never last_

_wake me up when september ends_

_-_

_here comes the the rain again_

_falling from the stars_

_drenched in my pain again_

_becoming who we are_

_-_

"Hey, Rock..."

They had been studying nonstop for nearly two hours. It was actually the first time Netto had attempted to broach a subject other than English in quite some time, an indication of just how tired the boy really was. Rockman wondered if they should have taken a break or two. "Hmm?"

"Why do you always help me, even when I don't deserve it?"

Rockman blinked and hesitated before answering. "Because you're my friend. And my brother."

Netto slumped forward over the desk, the keyboard beeping angrily as his slackened hand hit the number pad. "Not just because you're programmed to, right? You have a choice, don't you?"

"Maybe the Navi part of me has programming that _influences_ my decisions. But when it comes down to it, I make what I think is the best choice. Not just because of my AI - even artificial personalities make decisions based on what's right for everyone." Rockman crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "Nothing terrible would happen to _me_ if I didn't help you tonight. But you'd be paying for it in detention tomorrow, so despite myself I'm going to do it...er, so, what brought on _that_ question?"

"Oh." Netto laughed sheepishly. "It was just dumb, actually. I was trying to think about exactly how Navis work. How regular Navis are so different from you."

"From me?" Rockman waved the text window away, aware that his twin's eyes were on him, waiting for a reply. This had always been a touchy subject when a younger Rock - still new to the world and always asking questions of Yuuichirou - brought up the subject with his father. Why, Rockman had asked, was he the only 'special' Navi? What made his situation different from all the other Navis with advanced programming? And why, if a human-to-Navi conversion could be done to save a life, was he the only one in existance? "If all Navis were created from real people there'd be more ethical considerations to thinking about. Deleting a Navi could mean deleting someone's father or child. And not all could be restored from backups - plus, Navis in full synchronization with their Operators run the risk of killing each other."

"Oh. Right, that."

"Whether we like it or not, we'll die together." He stuck his tongue out at his Operator.

"Hey, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather die with! Again."

"Bah." Rockman put his hands on his hips, his face appearing on the monitor as he linked from PET to PC. "Seriously, I've been a Navi for as long as I remember. But I wouldn't wish it on anyone who'd remember a human life. It's too big of a difference. And the synchronization is a big problem for anyone who wants to Netbattle a lot. Your emotions affect me, my wounds affect you...there aren't many people crazy enough to volunteer for that. It's probably the biggest problem we've faced with the synchro."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. It's worth thinking about, though."

Rock crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to one side. "You'll probably grow up to be like Papa, don't you think? Doing Navi research and programming?"

"Maybe." Netto smiled dreamily. "I'll be Hikari-hakase someday. Weird. Doesn't 'scientist' sound odd for me, though?"

"Not with that lofty expression on your face. You look perfectly mad."

"Hey!" Netto swiped playfully at the monitor, and Rockman danced backwards in jest. "Look, you broke my mood! I was so..." he fought for a word, finally settling on one of the English terms in the book before him. "_Expensive_."

"That's '_pensive'_" Rockman laughed. "But nice try."

---

The next morning, Netto greeted the floor facedown again, rolling out of a bed he hadn't realized he was in. The last thing he remembered was learning to pronounce the English verb 'to sleep', and demonstrating on his keyboard.

"Good morning, sunshine." Rockman teased, looking down at him from the PC. "Sleep well?"

"I was until you woke me up."

"Sorry. I had to move you, too - you were sleeping with your head on the spacebar. Lucky for you my PET was in range of your dataport." He pointed at the PET, which was away from its docking station, laying inert on the tangled bedsheets. Since they had upgraded to an Advanced PET with wireless capabilities, the heart monitor installed in Netto's body had been upgraded to include an infrared reciever and updated security. It allowed Rockman a little more freedom to come and go within the implant as he liked, but generally he waited for Netto's express permission. "I put you to bed, since you wouldn't wake up."

"Oops." Somehow, Netto couldn't bring himself to sound sorry. Instead he crawled to the dresser and dug out a fresh shirt and pair of shorts. "What time is it?"

"Seven-thirty."

"No breakfast, I guess." The younger twin pouted as he changed his clothes.

"We can suffer together. My PET was left out of the charger all night."

"Deal." Netto grabbed his backpack and roller skates, running a hand through his messy hair. Haruka was in the kitchen, making tea and humming cheerfully to herself. "Morning, Mama."

"Good morning, Netto! Morning, Rockman." She smiled brightly at them. Netto was sorely tempted to lift his hands to his eyes and shield them from the cheerfulness.

"Good morning, Mama," Rock replied pleasantly.

She pointed at the table. "No breakfast today, either? I can make French toast."

"I have a test," Netto mumbled, jamming his skates onto the bottoms of his shoes. He grabbed his obentou box from the kitchen counter. "I'll eat at recess, I guess."

"Have a good day!" Haruka waved them out the door, all smiles. "We'll have meat spaghetti tonight, okay?"

"Ooh," both twins chorused. Though Netto was usually good-natured about allowing Rock to borrow a physical form at his whims, meat spaghetti nights usually turned into a vy for dominance by them both, of which the Navi usually backed down first in. As much as he loved meat spaghetti, Netto had more right to the human body they shared than he did. But of course, being older and more responsible occasionally won the argument for him, when he REALLY wanted to eat.

"And _don't fight over it, _you two." she called out menacingly.

"You had it last time," Netto immediately accused, as soon as they were out of their mother's hearing range.

Rockman frowned. "I did not. You've gotten to eat it twice since the last time I did."

"No way. It's been at least a month since I had meat spaghetti - I remember letting you win. Cause I felt sorry for you."

"It's been at least a month since Mama even cooked spaghetti," Rockman retorted, waving a schedular into existance behind him on the screen. "And you _definitely_ had it twice before that. I kept a calendar, see?"

"Oho! You're THAT desperate?"

"Hey. Kid." A rough voice drew both Operator and Navi's attention. "You're damned noisy, you know that?" A tall, muscled student - he looked to be in eigth grade, if not higher - was glaring at Netto from beside the gates of Akihara Elementary. He was wearing a junior high school uniform and an angry frown.

"What's it to you?" Netto replied hotly. "It's a free country."

"Not when you're annoying me." The bully frowned, folding arms over his chest.

"Netto-kun, let's just go inside," Rockman said nervously.

"If you let you Navi win fights all the time, you must be a real pansy. You sure look it."

"Shut up, jerk!" Netto said angrily, his right hand balling into a fist. "What are you doing hanging around here, anyway? Stop bugging me and go back to your own school!"

"How much lunch money do you have there? Any rare chips? What are you gonna give me if I leave you alone, huh?" A feral smile spread across his face.

"A punch in the face, if you don't _move_."

"Oooh, I'm scared!"

"You should be!" Netto shoved Rockman's PET into his shorts pocket, glaring at his adversary. "Last chance, moron!"

"HIKARI NETTO!" a voice thundered, causing both boys to freeze. Netto could hear Rockman faintly groan, his PET's speakers muffled by fabric. Mariko-sensei, the 6-A teacher, was leaning red-faced out one of the second-floor windows. "You get in here this instant and come right to the classroom!"

Netto gulped and ran past the older boy, who waved tauntingly. "See you, _kid!_"

The brunette ran past the fountain and pushed open the heavy double doors, letting them fall shut with a _bang_. "Netto-kun! I can't see, what's going on? What did you do?" Rockman's voice rose in pitch until Netto finally extracted the PET, safe within the lobby of the school. "Are you all right? DId you fight him?"

"No, but I wanted to," Netto hissed, his face contorted in a scowl. "I'll pound him if he comes near me again."

Rockman stared at his incredulously. "What's wrong with you? Breathe, little brother. You look like you're ready to start foaming at the mouth."

Netto blinked and obeyed without thinking, taking a deep breath. His face cleared. "Uh...yeah, I'm okay. Just a little touchy today, I guess." He sheepishly ran a hand through his hair. "I'd better go see Mariko-sensei. She's gonna be mad."

"Okay. You'd better watch out for that guy," Rockman admonished. "He was a lot bigger than you. You could have been hurt."

_I didn't even notice,_ Netto thought to himself. _I just wanted to hurt that guy...it didn't matter how big he was. I would have gotten stomped._

_But I really wanted to hurt him. _

_What's wrong with me today...?_

-

-

-

_-to be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Um...I started, played through and finished EXE 5 since that first chapter went up, so now we have a setting. XD It's set after EXE/BN5, but of course the events of _Us After This_ took place a year or more previously.

When in doubt about the game use of a name or suffix (I _know_ Yaito uses 'Hikari-kun' for Netto, which is a change from the anime, but I'm not 100 sure which people use 'Rock' versus 'Rockman' or 'Rock-kun') I use the Japanese manga versions rather than the English game. Chances are it's more correct that that or the anime.

This is a sequel to _Us After This_, which can be located in my profile. It's currently #28, though it gets bumped down whenever I add a new story, so check around that vicinity.

* * *

Fall To Pieces

_by Shimegami-chan_

Chapter 2

Inspirational Music: D.N. Angel - _Byakuya -True Light-_

* * *

-

-

Recess was the first point that Rockman dared to address his Operator aloud since Mariko-sensei had given the brunette a verbal thrashing that morning. Netto, for his part, seemed to have tuned out the teacher's lecture, so used to her voice that he instinctively knew when to nod assent. "Netto-kun?"

The sixth-grader was already halfway through the box of rice that was supposed to be for. "Mm?"

"Who do you suppose that guy was, from this morning?"

"Just some loser," Netto replied sourly. "He had on a junior high uniform, so I don't think I've ever met him. He didn't know my name until Mariko-sensei screamed it."

"You got it a lot of trouble, considering that you never laid a hand on him."

"Yeah. She's a nag - I should have just beat him up anyway if I was going to get yelled at that much."

Rockman fell silent for a moment, watching Netto's face as he shoveled rice into it. It wasn't like his Operator to be so _vindictive_ - particularly towards his teacher. He supposed Netto really was nervous about encountering that bully again. "No, you shouldn't have."

Netto stopped eating. "Yeah...you're right," he agreed finally, propping his chin up on his palm. "I don't know why I was so mad at that guy. He only called me 'loud' - and, well, we know that's true, right?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid it is." Rockman grinned and relaxed, not even realizing how tense he had become. "So, what should we do after school? If you don't have much homework, we could spend the afternoon with Roll-chan and the others, don't you think?"

"That'd be fun. We could go to Oran and have a picnic, or even go swimming - you could swim. It's not hard."

"That sounds interesting!" Rockman was addressing e-mails to Roll, Gutsman and Glyde even as they spoke, thinking about a swim in the ocean. He had only experienced the Oran Net on their previous trips to the island, and though he had swam in cyber-water before, he had never been able to try it in a human body. Netto loved having Rock experience favorite things, so he was usually enthusiastic about just watching, something that the older twin really appreciated. "I'll ask Mama to pack us something good to eat, too, okay?"

"Sounds great!" Netto stuffed his lunch box into his desk as the bell rang before lowering the volume on his PET. "You plan it while I'm in class, okay?"

Rockman summoned a string of text above his head, pleased that his twin's mood had brightened so considerably. _-Okay!-_

As the students began the English test that Netto had studied so hard for, Rockman went about organizing an afternoon at the beach, complete with picnic, bonfire, swimming and some card games. Since Navis weren't permitted to communicate with their Operators during tests and exams, and therefore Rock would not be needed until at least after lunch, he returned to the house network to arrange things with their mother. Haruka was more than willing to put off her usual housekeeping duties to assist him, and with his direction she packed a picnic basket filled with sandwiches, juice boxes, fresh cookies, tea, and marshmallows and chocolate to make s'mores. In the corner of the basket she tucked a few decks of playing cards and covered the basket with a fluffy blue blanket. Rockman observed from the living room television until the huge basket was complete and sitting grandly on the coffee table. Dusting flour off her apron, Haruka removed it and hung it on a hook before turning to face her Navi son. "How's that, Rockman?"

"That's wonderful! Thank you, Mama!"

Haruka beamed at his enthusiasm. "I hope you get to enjoy some of it too!"

"I will!"

"Are you going back to school, now? I'll leave this out for Netto to pick up on his way home." She pointed at the basket. "I'll be out doing the shopping for dinner."

"Of course." Rockman stepped back from the monitor. "Can you return me to the PC?"

"Certainly." Haruka picked up the SubPET on the table as Rockman transmitted himself back into it, using the infrared receiver. Once the Navi had been restored to his Operator's computer, with its links back to the school web page, he waved and thanked her again before disappearing into a warp. Haruka smiled sadly as she watched him go. "Have fun...take care, you two."

------------------

When the boat arrived at Oran Isle in the late afternoon, Rockman was already secured within Netto's neurological systems, enjoying the pleasant breeze in his tousled hair. "This is so great! But I can't see, my hair keeps getting in my eyes!"

Netto was watching him and listening to his surprised comments with undisguised amusement. "Why do you think I keep that bandanna on?"

"Well...good point."

They laughed as one, Saito's left hand raising to shield his eyes from the sun. Their friends were below deck, learning from the Navi Captain exactly how the boat worked, while Roll, Gutsman and Glyde were able to observe from the ship's big computer system. Saito, having seen plenty of computer systems in his life, chose to spend the ride on the top deck, enjoying the beautiful weather.

"It's really nice out," Netto observed. "You picked a great day for this."

"Thanks," Saito replied in the same voice, but slightly softer.

"There's the dock - look!"

As the boat pulled up to the wharf and used its magnet-lock settings and tether to stabilize in the water, Netto took over their movement and leapt from the deck to the dock, the huge basket clutched in both hands, then set it down at his feet. A moment later, Meiru, Yaito and Dekao disembarked as well, carrying their backpacks and wearing wide grins. "Yahoo!" Dekao shouted, pulling off his shirt. "I can't wait to get in the water - and this time, I don't even have to change on the beach!"

"Thank goodness," Yaito mumbled, slinging her inner tube over her shoulder. "I wore my bathing suit under my clothes."

"Me too," Meiru said.

"Let's get the fire started, then!" Saito said excitedly, clapping his hands together. Neither of the girls reacted to the un-Netto-like behaviour, being well-used to Rockman's sporadic appearances as a human, but Dekao stared for a moment before catching on. "Well? Come on, everyone!"

The ex-Navi led the way down to the beach, spreading out the blanket on the sand and placing the basket nearby. By the time he had removed the vest and long-sleeved shirt he wore (it was always a slow process, especially disentangling from the arms) the others were already in the water. He placed a clear rubber seal over Netto's tiny heart monitor - it was watertight in up to thirty metres, but it never hurt to add a little extra protection - and waded slowly into the surf, enjoying the shockingly cool water.

"How do you like that?" Netto asked, their face grinning broadly.

"It's...interesting!" Saito replied. "It's so cold!"

"Well, this isn't a pool!"

"Can you swim, Saito-kun?" Meiru inquired.

"Yeah. Well, kind of; I've been in a cyber-pool before. They're supposed to be pretty accurate, but I don't know," Saito laughed and wiped salty water from his eyes. "I don't think I'll go out too far, just in case."

"Good idea," Yaito told him.

On the shore, Dekao was already getting the bonfire going, adding pieces of driftwood that had washed up on the beach. Meiru and Yaito swam together, discussing an upcoming school festival, while Saito floated lazily on his back, his younger twin observing the bright sky through shared eyes. "This is great."

Netto felt much more peaceful than he had in weeks, the excitement and pressing feelings that had plagued him ever since Nebula had surfaced finally subdued. The water was calm and quiet, and he could still feel it washing over his skin, cleansing him, almost. He tried to lift a hand to brush hair out of his eyes and found it was under his control, just completely relaxed. "Yeah..."

They drifted aimlessly for several moments, Rock's control loose enough as to allow freedom of movement to his twin, but experience every sensation the water had to offer. Netto became more and more relaxed, tempted to close his eyes and sleep, but hesitant to startle Saito or take away from his enjoyment of human sight. He was still thinking about it when Saito closed their eyes himself.

Netto became even more comfortable, withdrawing completely from their shared sense of touch and concentrating only on the sound of the ocean, letting it lull him, gently, like a child in a cradle. He was so content all of a sudden, so sleepy…

"It's really something, isn't it?" Saito commented finally, noticing that he was completely in control of their sense of touch. "I could get used to this."

Netto did not reply. Jerking slightly, Saito turned upright and began to tread water, calling aloud for his twin. "Netto-kun?"

A quick external check of the monitor indicated nothing amiss, and Saito directed enough memory at his Navi form within the tiny computer to ensure that all was fine internally as well. Netto had withdrawn before when they had been sharing a body, reassuring Saito that Netto had probably done so again on purpose. Probably. "What did you do, fall asleep?" he joked out loud, but the younger Hikari failed to answer again. Deciding to do a more thorough check of the computer and its connections, Saito leisurely made his way to shore and flopped onto the beach towel they'd laid out. Dekao was roasting a marshmallow over the blazing fire.

"That looks great," the Navi announced, watching Dekao's movements with great interest as he sandwiched the marshmallow and a piece of chocolate between two marshmallows. The bigger boy pointed at the picnic basket to his left. "They're in there if you want one."

"Okay. Thanks," Saito said politely, earning another suspicious look from Dekao. He pulled on a hooded sweater and skewered a marshmallow upon a nearby branch before holding it somewhat uncertainly over the fire. It was very hot, and decidedly uncomfortable. Saito wondered if Netto and his friends were just used to this kind of thing.

"It'll burn if you hold it so close," Meiru-chan warned from behind, and as if on cue the marshmallow burst into flames.

"Uwaa! Oh, no!" Saito pulled the stick out of the fire and waved it helplessly, trying to quench the flame. The marshmallow continued to blacken, orange flames dancing on its tip. He brought it close and blew until the flames were extinguished, the black object smouldering angrily. Disappointed, Saito held the stick aloft with one hand and tried to remove the blackened marshmallow with the other.

It was _hot_.

"Oh! Ow!" he howled, pulling away burned digits coated with the melted stuff. Before he could do more, though, suddenly he could not feel the burning sensation or even the fingers anymore. Someone else spoke instead, as his mouth let loose a string of profanity that turned three heads to stare at him in disbelief.

"Rockman! Are you _stupid_ or something? Of course it was going to be hot!" Netto continued to swear, sucking on the injured digits and muttering under his breath. Saito tried to apologize, but found that somehow his access to their voice was blocked. He could see and hear the outside world, but could not speak or even feel a fraction of the pain in their fingers. Feeling awful, he plugged-out of the monitor and returned via infrared to his PET, lying inert on the picnic basket.

"Good. And stay out," Netto said loudly, glaring at the device.

"Netto-kun…I'm sorry…" Rockman tried to hide how much the order had stung. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Whatever." Turning his back on the Navi,Netto left the firepit and stalked away, disappearing up the wooden steps that led to the main area of the island. Meiru and the others watched in shocked disbelief, letting him go without a word.

* * *

_-to be continued…._


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: You wouldn't believe what I went through to dig out the jot notes for this story so I could remember the sequence of events...!

It's short, and I'm sorry. n.n;

**Fall To Pieces**  
Chapter 3  
_by Shimegami-chan_

"Don't feel bad about it," Meiru tried to comfort, picking up the PET. Rockman's eyes were listless and blank. "He's been acting so strangely over the past few days. I wonder what could be wrong."

"Over the past few days? What's happened?" This sparked his interest immediately. Did Netto have some kind of problem that had escaped Rockman's attention? Other than the incident with the bully that morning, he really hadn't noticed his twin acting strangely in the least.

"Er, well..." Meiru held the blue PET in her left hand, tilted up towards her face as she walked along the beach, away from Yaito and Dekao, footfalls silent in the white sand. "To be honest, he kind of seems like he's been...angry. I thought he was mad at me, but he says that he isn't…so…"

"Oh." So this was perhaps something related to Netto and Meiru's private conversations, and not something Rockman would have been privy to. Guilty relief rushed through the Navi that he had not missed any public signs.

Meiru was still speaking, now standing still, with her chin tilted so Rockman couldn't quite see the troubled expression on her face. "Like when I asked him a question about how his father was doing, he snapped at me and said that Hikari-hakase never comes home, so how would he know? I thought that was weird. Netto's so used to him being away - when he wants to see him, he just goes over to the Ministry of Science, right?"

Rockman nodded. "Right. But he hasn't lately."

"I figured that." Meiru shook her head. "I don't know what's gotten into him; he always seems to be in a crabby mood. It might have something to do with this whole...getting targeted by just about every bad guy around, you know? Of course, _you _seem to be doing okay, and you're the one doing most of the fighting."

Rockman blushed slightly. "I guess...but I'm a Navi, so that's kind of different--"

"Oh, so you're the one doing all the suffering, is that right?" Netto's voice interrupted him in mid-sentence, and Meiru jumped at the proximity of the sound. "Well, I suppose now I know where your loyalties lay. Not much of a surprise, I guess."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rockman demanded, anger flaring up in him. Where did Netto get off accusing him of such things?

Netto, who was standing with his arms crossed and still wearing Saito's black hoodie, sported a frown that even took his twin aback. "I was _going _to say I was sorry for getting mad, but since you're off here trying to get sympathy for it, I won't bother."

Meiru was starting to get angry as well, her hands clenched into tight fists and eyes flashing. "Just what has gotten into you, Hikari Netto? Of course I have more sympathy for Rock-kun, he's the one you keep dumping on--!"

The boy scowled. "I can't help it if he does stupid things! He hurt me!"

"Oh, it was just a burn, you big baby," Meiru snapped. "Get over it. You've gone through worse for him before."

"Yeah, well, excuse me if I'm not interested in repeating the experience." Netto turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Rockman and Meiru gaping after him, speechless. Rockman opened his mouth to call out to Netto's retreating back, but thought better of it, snapping his jaw shut as quickly as the words threatened to come out.

Together they looked until Netto's figure had disappeared, and then after a long moment, Meiru sat down in the sand, looking apologetic. "Listen, I'm sorry, I should have gone after him."

"No," Rock said quietly. "It's not your fault. I kind of expected him to be mad."

"That doesn't mean that you should take all the blame for it."

"I guess not." Rockman fell silent as Meiru climbed to her feet and started to walk back to the spot where they'd left Dekao and Yaito. He thought that maybe he should feel guilty for making his Netto so angry, but instead he was more concerned with why. It wasn't like his twin to get worked up over a silly thing like that, it wasn't even like him to react the way he did about the burn from the hot marshmallow. The Navi was starting to become very worried about something being seriously wrong with Netto. _Is there something he's not telling me? Maybe he's been sick, or doing worse than usual in school...but no, I'd notice those kinds of things, wouldn't I?  
_  
_He's been having a lot of bad dreams lately, but I can't blame him, after all the stuff he goes through...if Navis could dream, I'm sure I'd be having the worst of nightmares seven times a week.  
_  
Maybe the dreams did have something to do with it, Rockman thought, perhaps related to why Netto was so tired-looking and cranky these days. He resolved to keep a closer eye on his Operator, watching him during the night instead of going through his regular standby routine. It wouldn't hurt to have someone looking out for Netto.

Apparently it wouldn't have hurt them to have started this process quite some time ago, Rockman realized as Meiru caught sight of Yaito's boat out on the water, about twenty meters from shore, and wordlessly held up the PET for the Navi to see. "I can't believe it, why would Netto-kun leave without us? Are the others still...?"

"Yaito-chan and Dekao-kun are over there," Meiru said grimly. Yaito too had noticed Netto's departure and was howling like a banshee, jumping up and down and waving her arms to draw his attention. The boy on the boat ignored her completely. "I don't think they're very happy."

It would be no trouble for Yaito to send for another boat, of course, but it was the principle of the thing that had Rockman irked at last. "I think we'd better get back home as soon as we can. I have a really bad feeling about all this."

----------------------------

"Dr. Regal." Netto strode into the office without announcement, still wearing the clothes he had donned for the beach, along with flip-flop sandals. A quick check at the front desk had assured him that Dr. Regal was clocked in and Hikari-hakase was not. It was better that way, Netto thought, because he wouldn't have to explain things to his father.

"Netto-kun." Regal looked, understandably, surprised to see him. "Come in, boy, have a seat. Yuuichirou's away--"

"I'm not here to see my father," Netto cut him off, accepting the invitation to sit across from the scientist. "I'd like to talk to you, actually."

Confused, Dr. Regal set down the clipboard in his hand. "Sure. What can I do for you...?"

"I've been having these strange dreams lately...more like fits." The expression on the teen's face was grim. "They always happen in the night time...and they're nearly always because of what I'm dreaming about. I think somehow they might be connected to Nebula."

Regal drew in a deep breath and let it out again, slowly. "That sounds dangerous, but I don't know what could possibly cause it. You know far more about Nebula than I do, Netto-kun...I don't really remember any of the things that happened back then."

"I know..." Netto said, trailing off. "I just thought that maybe you'd be able to offer something, anything. Don't you maybe have any files or old data from back then?"

"I do..." the scientist replied at length. "But I don't know how Yuuichirou would feel about me digging around in them. For my own good, you know."

"You won't even need to. I'm sure I'll recognize what I'm looking for when I see it, whatever it is," Netto promised. "I've worked with the Net Officials so many times, I know it's fine for me to look at this stuff, I just need someone to access it for me."

Regal frowned again, more deeply this time. He was having not just nightmares, but actual fits, like seizures? The problem sounded much more serious than the boy was making it out to be. "It'd probably be better if we asked your father. He knows more about this kind of thing, definitely, so he could help find what you need."

"No, you can't tell him!" Netto protested. "I need to fix this on my own! I don't want to worry Papa, because he's always so busy…please, Dr. Regal, just show me to the files--please--"

"Okay, okay." Something about the urgency in Netto's voice weakened his resolve. Would it really hurt for the boy to investigate this on his own, especially if Regal would be keeping an eye on him? Better for him to offer his limited help than later be concerned that Netto was looking into things on his own. Hesitantly the scientist sat down at his computer terminal and input the password to allow him access. _He's probably just exhausted from this stuff happening at night. It's got to be scary, and he's a teenager, so of course he's reacting with anger. Doesn't mean I shouldn't go to Yuuichirou if the problem doesn't immediately clear up...but what kind of Nebula-related problem could possibly be causing seizures? It's been months since the organization went down. If this is something psychological, then the kid needs to go to a professional, not dig up stuff that's going to give him more nightmares…_

Despite his misgivings, the doctor deposited the Nebula files onto a datacard and held it out to Netto. "You're involved with the Officials, so I know I can trust you with this. But you know what'll happen if it falls into the wrong hands; your head and mine, so be careful, okay? And…I want you to tell me what you find out. If you find trouble, call me or your father before you get in too deep."

"Okay. Thank you, Doctor." Accepting the card, Netto gratefully offered him a smile before departing.

Seating himself heavily in his swivel chair, the scientist put both hands over his face. _I must be drinking too much coffee_, _I need to cut back._ It was impossible, but as Netto had turned, Regal thought he imagined that the boy's eyes were a frightening shade of crimson.

-_to be continued..._


End file.
